The Packers are likely facing a huge potential loss, literally and figuratively, to their starting defensive unit.

	Brown

Gilbert Brown, a key to the club's run defense, suffered a torn right biceps in Saturday's preseason victory at Atlanta. Brown exited the Georgia Dome with his right arm in a sling and a further exam on Sunday revealed the injury.

Brown's availability for the season might depend on his tolerance for pain. Some players, but not many, have been able to perform with a torn biceps.

"I feel bad for him. He came up and apologized to me that he got hurt, and it's certainly not his fault he got hurt,'' Packers coach Mike Sherman told the Wisconsin Sate Journal. "It's a very freak injury, we've never seen it happen before. It's unfortunate for him and us, but life goes on.''

Since the nine-year veteran is forced to the sideline, Green Bay has to scramble to locate an adequate replacement. Brown's injury could rekindle interest in veteran nose tackle Dan Wilkinson, recently released by the Washington Redskins. Wilkinson was close to an agreement with Detroit just a few days ago, but a deal never was struck.

Several teams, including New England, told Wilkinson's representative that they might be interested, but wanted to see how their incumbent tackles played over the weekend. In the case of the Packers, losing Brown certainly would fuel some consideration of Wilkinson.

Rod Walker, Brown's backup, has been suffering through injuries. Recently signed veteran Steve Martin has yet to distinguish himself in camp.

Brown, 32, eschewed a more lucrative offer from the Redskins two weeks ago to re-sign with the Packers, netting a six-year contract that included a $400,000 signing bonus and just minimum base salaries throughout the term of the pact. One of the NFL's premier run-stuffers, Brown had 36 tackles in 12 games in 2002. His importance to the Packers, however, cannot be measured solely in tackles. Brown typically plays a two-gap style and occupies a pair of blockers.

Brown's injury wasn't the only bad news the Packers received after their preseason opener.

Reserve defensive back Bryant Westbrook, whose physical style prompted the coaches to move the longtime cornerback to safety two weeks ago, definitely will miss the year after rupturing his right Achilles tendon.

A former Lions first-round choice (1997), Westbrook was signed by the Packers in the middle of the 2002 season to help the team compensate for a rash of injuries in the secondary. He played in six games and performed well enough for Green Bay to re-sign him this year. Westbrook might have been provided an opportunity to vie for a starting job had his impressive preseason continued.

The injury marks the second time that Westbrook has ruptured an Achilles in his seven-year career. He tore his left one in 2000 and it took him nearly two years to recover fully.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.